Dumbo (film)
Dumbo is an American animated film produced by Walt Disney Productions and premiered on October 23, 1941, by RKO Radio Pictures. The fourth animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, it is based upon the storyline written by Helen Aberson and illustrated by Harold Pearl for the prototype of a novelty toy ("Roll-a-Book")."Obituary: Helen Aberson Mayer". The Independent. April 12, 1999. The main character is Jumbo Jr., a semi-anthropomorphic elephant who is cruelly nicknamed "Dumbo". He is ridiculed for his big ears, but in fact he is capable of flying by using his ears as wings. Throughout most of the film, his only true friend, aside from his mother, is the mouse, Timothy – a relationship parodying the stereotypical animosity between mice and elephants. Dumbo was made to recoup the financial losses of Fantasia. It was a deliberate pursuit of simplicity and economy for the Disney studio, and at 64 minutes, it is one of Disney's shortest animated features. Sound was recorded conventionally using the RCA System. One voice was synthesized using the Sonovox system, but it, too, was recorded using the RCA System. Plot The film takes place in a circus setting in Florida and starts with a formation of storks delivering newborn babies to various circus animals. Mrs. Jumbo's baby is delivered to her belatedly by an exhausted stork, and the baby elephant is well received by the other elephants - until the size of his ears are revealed after he sneezes. The elephant, nicknamed "Dumbo" is teased by the sarcastic female elephants. The mother ignores them, however, until Mrs. Jumbo is imprisoned as a "mad elephant" after trying to defend her son from a crowd of antagonizing boys. A mouse named Timothy befriends Dumbo, and crafts a plan to make the sorrowful little elephant a star in the circus. Timothy subliminally convinces The Ringmaster (in his sleep) to set up a "pyramid of pachyderms," to the top of which Dumbo will jump (using a springboard). Due to Dumbo's long ears, the act fails, the big top falls to the ground, the other elephants are injured, the circus has to relocate, and Dumbo is unceremoniously reduced to a clown. Dumbo's clown act involves falling from an enormous platform in a dramatized fire rescue into a vat of pie filling. The audience responds well to the act, and the clowns decide to alter the act for the next show so that Dumbo will fall from a platform many times higher than the original one. After an emotional visit to his mother's cell, Timothy tries to cheer up Dumbo, who could not stop crying. They settle down for a drink of water outside of the clowns' tent. Unknown to them, the water has been accidentally spiked with champagne by the clowns, and the elephant and Timothy become inebriated and halluncinatory, seeing Pink Elephants sing and dance before their eyes. Dumbo and Timothy awake the next morning—in a tree over 100 feet up, awoken by a gaggle of amused crows. Timothy guesses that Dumbo flew them to the top of the tree while they were drunk, an idea that the crows find hilarious. After Timothy tells them Dumbo's pitiful story, the crows decide to help Timothy teach Dumbo to fly. They convincing the elephant that he can fly with the use of a "magic feather," and succeed in getting him to fly. Dumbo shows up at his next clown performance with his magic feather; however, he loses the feather after leaping from the platform. Timothy admits to Dumbo that he can fly without the magic feather, and, barely avoiding death from the fall, Dumbo opens his ears and soars through the air, to the amazement of the audience. Dumbo the Flying Elephant is made a star of the circus and an international celebrity, and he and his mother are finally reunited and given their own private coach on Casey Junior, the circus train. Release Television broadcast This was one of the first of Disney's animated films to be broadcast, albeit severely edited, on television, as part of Disney's anthology series. Home video Dumbo, along with Alice in Wonderland, was the first of Disney's canon of animated films to be released on home video. The film was originally released on June 26, 1981 on VHS and Betamax, followed by a Laserdisc release in June 1982 and then once again on VHS and Betamax as part of Walt Disney Classics Video Collection release on December 3, 1985. The film was then remastered in 1986, 1987 and 1989 and released on VHS and Laserdisc as a 50th Anniversary Edition of Dumbo on July 12, 1991, followed by an October 28, 1994 VHS and Laserdisc release as a part of the Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection. In 2001, a 60th Anniversary Special Edition was released in VHS and DVD formats."Dumbo: 60th Anniversary Edition". DVD Empire.Ben, Simon (July 13, 2003). "Dumbo: 60th Anniversary Edition". Animated Views.Puccio, John (December 11, 2001). "Dumb (DVD)". DVD Town. In 2006, a "Big Top Edition" of the film was released on DVD,Willman, Chris (June 9, 2006). "Dumbo: Big Top Edition". Entertainment Weekly.Henderson, Eric (June 6, 2006). "Dumbo: Big Top Edition". Slant Magazine.Swindoll, Jeff (June 1, 2006). "DVD Review: Dumbo (Big Top Edition)". Monsters and Critics. followed by a UK Special Edition release in May 2007. A 70th Anniversary Edition of the film was released in the United States on September 20, 2011.Lawler, Richard (April 29, 2011). "Dumbo 70th Anniversary Blu-ray has a trailer and a release date: September 20th". Engadget."Dumbo Blu-ray Release Date and Details". The HD Room. April 30, 2011.David (April 4, 2011). "Wharton, Disney Opens The Vault And Brings Dumbo To Blu-Ray". Cinema Blend. http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=6282 The 70th Anniversary Edition was produced in two different packages: a 2-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and a 1-disc DVD."Dumbo Blu-ray Dated". Blu-ray.com. April 29, 2011. The film was also released as a movie download. All versions of the 70th Anniversary Edition contain deleted scenes and several bonus features, including "Taking Flight: The Making of Dumbo" and "The Magic of Dumbo: A Ride of Passage," while the 2-disc Blu-ray version additionally includes games, animated shorts, and several exclusive features."Disney Opens the Vault for 'Dumbo' 70th Anniversary DVD and Blu-ray". Buzz Focus. April 29, 2011.Sluss, Justin (April 30, 2011). "Disney's 1941 Classic "Dumbo" Finally Coming to Blu-ray in September". High Def Disc News. The film was re-released on Blu-ray and DVD on April 26, 2016 to celebrate its 75th anniversary.http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Dumbo-Blu-ray/153275/ Cast The voice actors are uncredited for their roles in the film. * The title character is Dumbo, the nickname given to Jumbo Jr. He is an elephant who has huge ears and is able to use them to fly, carrying what he thinks of as a magic feather. Like Dopey in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Gideon in Pinocchio, Dumbo doesn't have a spoken dialogue. * Edward Brophy as Timothy Q. Mouse, an anthropomorphic mouse who becomes the only friend of Dumbo after his mother is locked up and does his best to make Dumbo happy again. He teaches Dumbo how to become the "ninth wonder of the universe", and the only flying elephant in the whole world. He is never mentioned by name in the film, but his signature can be read on the contract in a newspaper photograph at the finale. * Verna Felton as Elephant Matriarch, the well-meaning but pompous leader of the elephants who is initially cold towards Dumbo. Felton also voices Mrs. Jumbo, Dumbo's mother, who speaks only once in the film to give Dumbo's name. * Cliff Edwards as Jim Crow, the leader of a group of crows. Though he initially teases Dumbo about his big ears and ridicules Timothy's idea that Dumbo can fly, he hears Dumbo's tragic history and becomes determined to help Dumbo fly for real. * Herman Bing as The Ringmaster, who though not truly evil, is a strict and occasionally arrogant man. The Ringmaster later appears as a villain in the video game Disney's Villains' Revenge. * Margaret Wright as Casey Junior, the sentient tender engine hauling the circus train. Casey Junior has a 2-4-0 wheel arrangement, a small four-wheeled tender at the back, a big tall funnel, a little lamp hat, a short stumpy boiler, a short stumpy dome with a whistle on the top and a small cowcatcher at his front. * Sterling Holloway as Mr. Stork * The Hall Johnson Choir as Crow Chorus * The King's Men as Roustabout Chorus * Noreen Gammill as Elephant Catty * Dorothy Scott as Elephant Giddy * Sarah Selby as Elephant Prissy * Malcolm Hutton as Skinny * Billy Bletcher as Clown * John McLeish as the narrator Media and merchandise Dumbo's Circus Main article: Dumbo's Circus Dumbo's Circus was a live-action/puppet television series for preschool audiences that aired on The Disney Channel in the 1980s. Unlike in the film, Dumbo spoke on the show. Each character would perform a special act, which ranged from dancing and singing to telling knock knock jokes. Books * Walt Disney's Dumbo: Happy to Help: (ISBN 0-7364-1129-1) A picture book published by Random House Disney, written by Liane Onish and illustrated by Peter Emslie. It was published January 23, 2001. This paperback is for children aged 4–8. Twenty-four pages long, its 0.08 of an inch thick, and with cover dimensions of 7.88 x 7.88 inches. * Walt Disney's Dumbo Book of Opposites: (ISBN 0-307-06149-3) A book published in August 1997 by Golden Books under the Golden Board Book brand. It was written by Alan Benjamin, illustrated by Peter Emslie, and edited by Heather Lowenberg. Twelve pages long and a quarter of an inch thick, this board edition book had dimensions of 7.25 x 6.00 inches. * Walt Disney's Dumbo the Circus Baby: (ISBN 0-307-12397-9) A book published in September 1993 by Golden Press under the A Golden Sturdy Shape Book brand. Illustrated by Peter Emslie and written by Diane Muldrow, this book is meant for babies and preschoolers. Twelve pages long and half an inch thick, this book's cover size is 9.75 x 6.25 inches. Theme parks Dumbo the Flying Elephant is a popular ride that appears in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom,"Disney World's Dumbo the Flying Elephant Page". Disneyland,"Disneyland California's Dumbo the Flying Elephant Page". Tokyo Disneyland,"Tokyo Disney's Dumbo the Flying Elephant Page". Disneyland Park (Paris), and Hong Kong Disneyland."Hong Kong Disneyland's Fantasyland Attractions Page".. The Casey Jr. Circus Train is an attraction found at Disneyland and Disneyland Paris. In June 2009, Disneyland introduced a flying Dumbo to their nighttime fireworks show, in which the elephant flies around Sleeping Beauty Castle while fireworks synched to music go off."Flying Dumbo to star in new Disneyland fireworks show". Los Angeles Times. June 3, 2009. Casey Junior is the second float in the Main Street Electrical Parade and its versions. Casey, driven by Goofy, pulls a drum with the parade logo and Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. Video games Dumbo appears in the popular PlayStation 2 game Kingdom Hearts in the form of a summon that the player can call upon in battle for aid. Sora, the protagonist, flies on him and Dumbo splashes enemies with water from his trunk."Official Kingdom Hearts Page" The Ringmaster appears as one of four villains in Disney's Villains' Revenge. In the game, the Disney Villains alter the happy endings from Jiminy Cricket's book; in particular, the Ringmaster forces Dumbo to endlessly perform humiliating stunts in his circus. In the end, the Ringmaster is defeated when he is knocked unconscious by a well-aimed custard pie. Cancelled sequel In 2001, the "60th Anniversary Edition" DVD of Dumbo featured a sneak peek of the proposed sequel Dumbo II, including new character designs and storyboards. Robert C. Ramirez (Joseph: King of Dreams) was to direct the sequel, in which Dumbo and his circus friends navigated a large city after being left behind by their traveling circus. Dumbo II ''also sought to explain what happened to Dumbo's father, Mr. Jumbo. Dumbo's circus friends included the chaotic twin bears Claude and Lolly, the curious zebra Dot, the older, independent hippo Godfry, and the adventurous ostrich Penny. The animals were metaphors for the different stages of childhood.Armstrong, Josh (April 22, 2013). "From Snow Queen to Pinocchio II: Robert Reece's animated adventures in screenwriting". Animated Views. ''Dumbo II was supposed to be set on the day immediately following the end of the first Dumbo movie."Dumbo II". Archived from the original on October 26, 2009. John Lasseter cancelled Dumbo II, soon after being named Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios in 2006.Hill, Jim (April 22, 2007). "Say "So Long!" to direct-to-video sequels: DisneyToon Studios tunes out Sharon Morrill". JimHillMedia.com. Live-action remake On July 8, 2014, it was announced that a live-action remake of Dumbo was in development. Ehren Kruger was confirmed as the screenwriter, and Justin Springer will serve as the producer along with Kruger.Kits, Borys (July 8, 2014). "Live-Action 'Dumbo' in the Works From 'Transformers' Writer". The Hollywood Reporter. On March 10, 2015, Tim Burton was announced as the director.Fritz, Ben (March 10, 2015). "Tim Burton to Direct Live-Action 'Dumbo' for Disney". The Wall Street Journal.Ford, Rebecca (March 10, 2015). "Tim Burton to Direct Live-Action 'Dumbo' for Disney". The Hollywood Reporter. Gallery File:DumboVHScover.jpg|1981 VHS cover File:DumboVHSspine.jpg|1981 VHS spine File:DumboVHSbackcover.jpg|1981 VHS back cover File:DumboVHScover2.jpg|1985 Walt Disney Classics VHS cover File:Dumbo1985tape.jpeg|1985 tape File:DumboVHScover3.jpg|1986 Walt Disney Classics VHS cover File:DumboVHScover4.jpg|1987 Walt Disney Classics VHS cover File:Dumbo1987VHSspine.jpg|1987 Walt Disney Classics VHS spine File:Dumbo1987VHSbackcover.jpg|1987 Walt Disney Classics VHS back cover File:Dumbo1987tape.jpeg|1987 tape File:DumboVHScover5.jpg|1989 Walt Disney Classics VHS cover File:Dumbo1989VHSspine.jpg|1989 Walt Disney Classics VHS spine File:Dumbo1989VHSbackcover.jpg|1989 Walt Disney Classics VHS back cover File:DumboVHScover6.jpg|1991 Walt Disney Classics VHS cover File:Dumbo1991VHSspine.jpg|1991 Walt Disney Classics VHS spine File:Dumbo1991VHSbackcover.jpg|1991 Walt Disney Classics VHS back cover File:DumboVHScover7.jpg|Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection VHS cover File:DumboWaltDisneyMasterpieceCollectionVHSspine.jpg|Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection VHS spine File:DumboWaltDisneyMasterpieceCollectionVHSbackcover.jpg|Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection VHS back cover File:Dumbo60thAnniversaryEditionVHScover.jpg|60th Anniversary Edition VHS cover File:Dumbo60thAnniversaryEditionDVDcover.jpg|60th Anniversary Edition VHS cover File:Dumbo60thAnniversaryEditionDVDbackcoverandspine.jpg|60th Anniversary Edition DVD cover File:DumboBigTopEditionDVDcover.jpg|Big Top Edition DVD cover File:DumboBigTopEditionDVDspine.jpg|Big Top Edition DVD spine File:DumboBigTopEditionDVDbackcover.jpg|Big Top Edition DVD back cover File:Dumbo70thAnniversaryEditionDVDcover.jpg File:Dumbo75thAnniversaryEditionBlu-raycover.jpg File:Dumbotitlecard.png|Title card File:Dumbotitlesequence.png References Category:1941 films Category:1940s films Category:Walt Disney Animation Studios films Category:Walt Disney Pictures films Category:Films